DUP Will Fight RIRs Case In Reid Meeting

The DUP will begin talks with the Government tomorrow on behalf of RIR home service personnel.

The discussions represent the opening salvos in what looks like becoming a separate negotiation to ensure the best possible deal for those impacted by the Government decision to disband the three RIR home battalions by August 2007.

A party delegation including leader Ian Paisley and MPs Jeffrey Donaldson and Gregory Campbell will meet Defence Secretary John Reid in London.

They will warn the former Ulster Secretary of State that the outcome of talks will have a huge bearing on the future of the peace process.

The News Letter understands the DUP will present a paper to Mr Reid which will cover a range of issues affecting the 3,000 soldiers and around 2,000 civilians employed by the Ministry of Defence in the Province.

These will include proposals for:

a Royal Irish unit to be retained as part of a regular garrison of 5,000 soldiers in the Province;
generous financial and re-settlement packages for those who wish to now leave the Army;

With acknowledgements to The Newsletter